If you’ve gone shopping for a gaming PC or laptop, you’re probably familiar with the Alienware name.
These aggressively styled computers with loud RGB lights have been considered the best gaming pre-builts for a long time.
However, they can be quite expensive, often exceeding the usual $2000 mark for most gaming PCs.
So, why are they so costly?
In summary, Alienware products are expensive because of their unique designs. They also use high-end components and innovative cooling systems. Their good craftsmanship and upgradability also contribute to the huge price tag.
This article looks at Alienware laptops and why they’re so expensive in 2022. Keep reading to find out where you can get great Alienware deals.
About the Alienware Gaming Laptops
Alienware is Dell’s gaming-focused sub-brand. The company was started in 1996 as Sakai of Miami Inc by two childhood friends.
It is rumored that the Alienware name was inspired by The X-Files, a popular tv series at the time.
Dell later bought Alienware as a subsidiary in 2006. This means that Alienware retains control of its marketing and design while benefiting from Dell’s deep pockets and supply chain.
Alienware laptops have been the company’s best-selling product, with several models released each year.
Initially, Dell kept its XPS series of laptops which competed directly with Alienware, but they later scaled it down to push Alienware. The M17x is currently the first Dell/Alienware branded laptop.
How Much Is a Good Alienware PC?
Alienware PCs are pretty expensive. An M17x with all the options costs more than $4000 before shipping. However, if you just need a good Alienware PC that gets the job done, you can still get one for $1500.
What Makes Alienware So Special?
Alienware primarily stands out because of its aggressive design and branding. Even if you’ve never heard of the Alienware brand, you can tell it’s a gaming PC when you see it.
The bulky, boxy design with an RGB ring light around the back definitely attracts attention. To top it off, the huge Alien’s head on all their products screams that you’re not looking at an ordinary computer.
This is the complete opposite of other gaming subsidiaries like ROG and Legion, which try to blend in with office computers.
Why Are Alienware Pcs So Expensive?
Dell has acquired a global reputation for selling good, decently priced computers. So, why is Alienware, their sub-brand so expensive?
1. Cutting Edge Design
If you’ve used mainstream PCs like HP, Asus, and even Dell, then you probably agree that their designs are quite dull.
As a matter of fact, most PCs look the same, such that if all branding were to be removed, you wouldn’t tell what brand it was.
Fortunately, that’s not the case with Alienware PCs. The company understands that its consumer base mainly consists of serious gamers who like to stand out.
As a result, it invests resources and effort into their PCs aesthetics. Most Alienware computers have a unique design, often resembling a cyborg or Transformer.
They also have RGB lighting all over the body, keeping in mind that RGB is almost as important to gamers as the gaming performance itself.
These designs take time and resources to perfect, which increases Alienware prices.
2. High-End Hardware Specifications
When you buy an Alienware PC, you can rest assured you’ve bought the best specifications the industry has to offer at the time of purchase.
Gaming is a resource-intensive task that requires gaming PCs to have robust hardware.
As a result, Alienware strives to make “Game Ready” computers, which means you don’t have to upgrade any component to play the latest “AAA” titles.
A typical Alienware PC in 2022 is likely to have at least a 12th gen Core i7 chip, 16GB DDR5 RAM, and an RTX 30 series graphics card. It’s also likely to have a 650W or higher gold-rated PSU to power those high-end components.
Compared to office PCs and even consoles, these specs are overkill. They guarantee you a steady 60+FPS on your favorite game.
Of course, these components are quite costly, and the costs are passed down to the consumer.
3. Quality Craftsmanship
Interestingly, gaming PCs are not assembled by robots on a long conveyor belt like office PCs. Each PC has to be put together by hand to ensure all the components are to the consumers’ taste. This often leads to poor craftsmanship in some prebuilt gaming PCs.
It’s not uncommon to receive a gaming PC with leaking liquid cooling or two sticks of RAM that are not configured into dual-channel.
However, you can always trust Alienware to deliver a well-assembled and functional PC. The computers are put together by numerous professionals and go through rigorous quality assurance tests.
4. Upgradability
Unlike most of their competitors, Alienware encourages you to open their PCs and look inside. Even with their unique designs, most Alienware computers use standard ATX cases, allowing you to change or upgrade the motherboard.
The rest of the components, such as RAM and storage are easy to swap out on all Alienware computers, including laptops.
They also use gaming motherboards which have plenty of expansion slots in case you want to add some RAM, an SSD, or even more ports.
5. Innovative Cooling Systems
Cooling is one of the most important yet most challenging part of building a gaming PC. Unfortunately, most gaming prebuilt companies don’t pay much attention to cooling and end up squeezing high-end components together, hoping they won’t burst into a ball of flames.
Alienware focuses on cooling in every stage. The cases are designed for steady airflow through the PC or laptop with massive intakes and exhausts.
Alienware also uses liquid cooling on their flagship laptops and PC, which is more efficient (and quieter) than air cooling.
Is Alienware Only for Gaming?
Alienware is primarily a gaming brand. Apart from PCs and laptops, the company also makes gaming peripherals, chairs, mouse-mats, and at some point, it made Windows OS consoles.
However, it’s not uncommon to see Alienware computers in a formal office setting, especially programmers’ desks.
This is because they offer top-of-the-line specs, and they can be used for any demanding computing task.
The Most Expensive Alienware Laptops
Alienware laptops can carry a big price tag. Here are 3 of the most expensive ones:
Alienware X17 R2
This 17-inch Alienware laptop boasts the best and latest specs you can expect in a flagship laptop. The premium model has a Core i7-12700H chip, RTX 3070 Ti mobile, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and up to 4TB m.2 SSD storage. You can choose between a Full HD display at 165 Hz/ 365 Hz or a Quad HD at 240Hz.
This configuration means you can play any game at 1440p Ultra settings and get a 60+FPS experience. The massive storage potential also means you can have all your favorite offline titles without needing external storage.
However, with prices starting at $3500, the laptop might be a bit overpriced, even for its specs.
Dell Alienware m15 R6
The m15 is a powerful 15.6-inch Alienware laptop. Under the hood, it features a Core i7-11800H 16 GB DDR4 RAM and an RTX 3070 graphics card.
Although these specs are pretty modest compared to the X17, it’s still quite capable and can handle any modern titles with ease. In addition, the QHD 240Hz display benefits from the smaller size, giving it a higher pixel density.
The Alienware m15 R6 is competitively priced at $1899 and is definitely worth considering if you’re looking for a laptop within that budget.
Dell Alienware m15 R5
The R5 is the R6’s AMD alternative. It comes with an AMD Ryzen 5900HX (Which beats the i7 11800H in benchmarks), 32 GB DDR4 RAM, and a 1TB NVMe Solid State Drive.
The graphics are processed by a mobile RTX 3070 and displayed on the FHD 360 Hz panel. These specs are significantly better than its Intel twin and guarantee improved performance.
The m15 R5 is slightly more expensive than the R6 at $2500, but the extra performance is worth the money.
Do Alienware Laptops Go on Sale?
Like most other tech products, Alienware laptops go on sale sometimes. These sales are mostly around the holidays or when Alienware is about to release a new model.
Therefore, you should check the next model’s release date to take advantage of stock-clearing offers.
How and Where to Find Alienware Laptop Deals
With all Alienware laptops costing significantly more than $1000, any discount or offer you can get will save you hundreds of dollars. Here are some of the best places to get an Alienware laptop for a good price:
Amazon
The world’s leading online retailer has a wide variety of Alienware laptops, both from the official store and third-party vendors.
Sometimes the third-party vendors benefit from the economy of scale and can even sell the laptops cheaper than Alienware’s official store.
You can also get discounts on Amazon for using gift cards.
Best Buy
Best Buy is mostly known for selling custom PC and PC components. However, they also have a wide variety of prebuilt PCs, including Alienware laptops.
The laptops are also constantly on sale, especially when you use a referral code from tech YouTubers like Austin Evans.
Walmart
Walmart is known for great deals on everything, including consumer electronics. Being a big box store, it’s able to buy Alienware laptops at scale and sell them for a bargain.
Alienware Gaming Pcs Alternatives
1. Asus ROG PCs
Republic of Gamers (ROG) is Asus’s line of gaming PCs. They are mostly cheaper than Alienware but offer close to similar performance.
They are also uniquely designed and feature loud RGB lights. However, their craftsmanship is sometimes disappointing.
2. Lenovo Legion PCs
Legion is Lenovo’s gaming PC division. Lenovo legion PCs are competitively priced and offer decent gaming performance. That said, they look pretty dull and don’t command as much attention as Alienware computers.
3. Razer Blade PCs
Razer is known for great and affordable gaming laptops. The Razer Blade 15 In particular, competes with Alienware’s X17 line at a fraction of the price.
4. Dell XPS PCs
Interestingly, Dell XPS laptops are Alienware laptops with a different skin. They offer similar, sometimes identical specs, but the XPS line is less aggressive in terms of aesthetics. It is also significantly cheaper than similarly featured Alienware products.
Read Also: Why are OLED TVs Still So Expensive?
Are Alienware Computers Overpriced?
While most gamers agree that Alienware computers are expensive, they also admit the prices are justified. Alienware computes offer cutting-edge technology, great aesthetics, and reliable quality.
Is Alienware Worth the Money in 2022?
Even with all the great features and craftsmanship, it’s hard to recommend Alienware products in 2022. There are many equally powerful computers that are much cheaper and more accessible.
Furthermore, custom PCs are even better in aesthetics and can be built for less than most Alienware PCs.